Facebook doubles down on it's instant messenger app. Developers now have the ability to build chatbots into Facebook messenger. These bots turn into defacto customer service representatives and are able to take customer service queries, and even order items, without even needing a human at the end of the line. There are currently 25 companies utilizing the feature including Walt Disney, Jet Blue, and The Wall Street Journal. This builds on the fact that people favor the messenger app's private one on one style.
Facebook has promoted their messenger app for two years running. They believe the app is the path to the future for the company. Purchasing through a chat app has already caught on like gangbusters in China via weChat. Chinese consumers are well accustomed to purchasing and inquiring about those purchases via the chat app. Americans are behind on the trend but younger generations are picking up steam. The Messenger app currently helps younger generations order flowers through 1-800-Flowers. Often it is easier and quicker for them to order via Facebook Messenger than through the actual 1-800-Flowers app.
Right now American companies are relying on humans to be on the other end of the line of a customer service chat. Facebook is moving in the direction of alleviating that need by rolling out chatbots. The bottom line will improve for the companies who utilize this feature and quite possibly the service levels will improve as well. There will likely be bad bots who have a hard time differentiating specific products from a plethora of similar items so it will not be all rainbows and unicorns for migrating users to this format. However, it is evidently the way of the future.
It should be noted that Facebook owns two of the largest messaging apps: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Both of these apps are testing ways to communicate with consumers which will pave the way for both to bring in revenue.
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